Recently have discovered that the Newman Theatre, which pre-dates the Normal name, was at the same address. Anyone have any insight whether it was the same building? It now houses a concert venue attached to Newby’s, the bar next door. The most recent photo posted here shows that it’s pretty messy looking these days. It also had its share of name changes: Normal, Studio, Highland Cinema, The Movie House and finally Newby’s.

As the Jefferson (opened September 1908) it was primarily drama, opera and music. It was named after theatrical personage Joseph Jefferson, not Thomas Jefferson. As the Lyric (from 1911) it had a period of vaudeville in the teens and competed with the Lyceum and the Orpheum.
The Lyric did show movies in the 20s. Two titles referenced are “The Big Parade”(1925) and “The Covered Wagon” (1923). The most famous incident happened in 1929 when “King of Kings” (released 1927) ran into trouble with Lloyd T. Binford because of scenes not included in the Gospels. The censors won in a court battle and the movie was banned in Memphis.
After the big palaces were all open in 1921 the Lyric fell on hard times partly because of its location far from Main St. It was much plainer and far less luxurious than the new, cooler, movie palaces. It however was the site of the first opera broadcasts in Memphis from WMC in January of 1923.
The Mazda name is from the Mazda Grotto, a fraternal organization. Its aim was to organize a recreational center, which failed, and the Junior Order of Mechanics took over in 1932. The city owned the building when it burned January 23, 1941 probably the victim of a lightning bolt. The city hadn’t even insured the building and it had been virtually abandoned.

Went by there the other day, it is newly painted and remodeled. The main feature I could see through the doors were the twin sweeping staircases from the lobby to the balcony. They are still beautiful.